Babel Tower

I found it difficult to believe this was written by the same AS Byatt I have admired. It reads like a first, chaotic draft: unedited, rambling and repetitive. Awful.

Terrifying

Wonderfully rich, diverse, and intelligent as ever, but I felt like it didn't quite attain the same unity that Possession did. There were many characters left unattended to, much to my frustration and annoyance.

A.S. Byatt is one of my favorite authors. This book picks up the story of characters from earlier books (Virgin in the Garden, and Still Life). She always does a great job of creating "story within the story," but I found the internal story in this book disturbing, ugly, and powerful. Not sure that I could read this again, though it has stuck with me for many years.

I really enjoyed this. Though at times the language was a bit overwhelming. It is definitely a book lover's book. And I'm not sure if I fall in that category. Many of the references were over my head. Quotes I didn't recognize, poets I hadn't read etc. I feel like I might have enjoyed it more if I could have identified with the characters more. As it was I didn't seem to be on there level...more

I really enjoyed this. Though at times the language was a bit overwhelming. It is definitely a book lover's book. And I'm not sure if I fall in that category. Many of the references were over my head. Quotes I didn't recognize, poets I hadn't read etc. I feel like I might have enjoyed it more if I could have identified with the characters more. As it was I didn't seem to be on there level intellectually. I hadn't realized when I started that she introduced the main character of the story in two previous books, which might have helped explain a few things at the beginning. Honestly the parts I enjoyed the most were the excerpts from "Babbletower" the novel within the novel. The depiction of this utopia gone very wrong was enthralling. You begin reading preparing yourself for the inevitable decay of this world. I found myself liking the main character Frederica less, and caring less about the outcome of her drama. What mattered more was the fate of the society.   hide

amazing!

***SPOILER ALERT***This novel, the third book of the Frederica Quartet was written a number of years later. Frederica has married - unwisely - a rich aristocratic man who abuses her physical and keeps her from seeing her friends who as mentioned are almost all male including her from brother in bar. The situation is complicated as they have a son. Frederica leaves her husband after he throws...more

***SPOILER ALERT***This novel, the third book of the Frederica Quartet was written a number of years later. Frederica has married - unwisely - a rich aristocratic man who abuses her physical and keeps her from seeing her friends who as mentioned are almost all male including her from brother in bar. The situation is complicated as they have a son. Frederica leaves her husband after he throws an axe at her and she then realizes to what extent the cards are stacked against her. She sues for divorce but loses so she gets no financial aid from her ex-husband but she does retain custody. She begins a career of teaching in this time and is involved in a censorship lawsuit surrounding a novel.   hide

My favourite Byatt. Already knew she was an amazing writer; the difference with this book is what she writes about, the themes, and how they affect me: class issues; utopic social movements are very close to me.

Babel Tower is one of the very few books I have read more than once.